INFORMATION RESEARCH CENTER
Research Library & Archive
The Information Research Center (IRC) is THE place to visit to research your next tennis book, work on a thesis paper, prepare for Grand Slam coverage, view old match and interview tapes, and discover interesting details about the rich history of tennis! The Information Research Center was opened on the third floor of the historic Newport Casino to better serve the needs of tennis researchers and scholars, sports media professionals, and tennis enthusiasts who find our archives to be invaluable resources.
The Information Research Center at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is the equivalent of a sleeper player in a draw, a tremendous off-the-beaten path resource that enables visitors to play time traveler. On multiple occasions, I've used the center to research and contextualize articles and television pieces. While the visits were ostensibly for work, they quickly became immensely enchanting.
- Jon Wertheim,
Sports Illustrated & Tennis Channel
The IRC is a comprehensive library and archive devoted to the history of tennis and early court tennis, tennis' great players, the social history of Newport Society in the Gilded Age, and the architectural designs of the Newport Casino, a National Historic Landmark.
At the IRC, patrons have access to more than 150 years of historic documents, publications, photographs, and audio-visual materials relating to the Newport Casino's history, tennis and court tennis, and the personalities that have made tennis such a fascinating sport. Researchers are welcome to reserve time to make use of our collections in a quiet, secure, and comfortable library setting, or to inquire about research services from our knowledgeable staff.
IRC resources have been instrumental in many recent publications, including Ashley Brown's Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson (Oxford University Press, 2023), Donn Gobbie's A Dollar & A Dream: Gladys Heldman, the Original 9, and Women's Professional Tennis (Forty Love Press, 2022), Madeleine Blais' Queen of the Court: The Many Lives of Tennis Legend Alice Marble (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2023), and Robert T. Everitt & Richard A. Hillway's The Birth of Lawn Tennis: From the Origins of the Game to the First Championship at Wimbledon (Vision Sports Publishing, 2018 and 2024).
The History Channel, Tennis Channel, PBS, BBC, HBO, CBS, NBC, ESPN, FOX Sports, BET, A&E, and numerous other networks, cable and streaming platforms, news outlets, and independent media companies have utilized the resources of the International Tennis Hall of Fame's Information Research Center in various productions.
THE COLLECTION
More than 1 million photographic images chronicle the history of the sport of tennis, as well as the Gilded Age and National Historic landmark, the Newport Casino.
More than 5,000 printed publications document the sport's history, players, and venues, including books, yearbooks, media guides, magazines, and periodicals.
Nearly 3,500 film, videotape, and audiotape records of major and historic matches and tournaments from around the world, as well as Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies.
VISIT THE INFORMATION RESEARCH CENTER
The Information Research Center (IRC) is located directly above the museum's galleries at the International Tennis Hall of Fame on the 3rd floor of the historic Newport Casino, 194 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island. Visitors to the Museum may make an appointment in advance to conduct research in our library and archives, or our knowledgeable staff can assist with research services.
Reservations are required. To make an appointment, please contact Samantha Martinelli, Collections Care & Research Specialist, at 401-849-3990 ext. 1109.
On-site visitation fee per day: $50
The facility is open year-round, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday (save for all observed state and federal holidays).
RESEARCH SERVICES
PHOTO SERVICES
Patrons wishing to obtain a reproduction of any photograph from the Information Research Center's Photograph Archives or inquire about image licensing and rates should contact the Museum Staff.
Fees will be assessed on a case-by-case basis according to our Fee Schedule Policy.
Final product(s) will not be released to the patron until payment has been received.
AUDIO VISUAL SERVICES
Portions of the collection are available for use in film, television, and radio productions. Please contact the Museum Staff for licensing availability and rates.
STAFF RESEARCH SERVICES
Patrons who wish to access the Information Research Center’s large collection of resources but cannot make an in-person site visit are welcome to request assistance from our knowledgeable staff. Our staff will provide a complimentary 30 minutes of research, after which fees will be assessed. Please contact the Museum Staff for more information and to obtain an estimte of the time and cost to research your inquiry.
Fees Structure (subject to change at the discretion of Museum Staff):
Individuals, educational/nonprofit, students: $35/hour
Commercial: $45/hour
Rush: $70/hour
DONATE TO THE COLLECTION
The Information Research Center is dedicated to preserving the documented story of tennis worldwide. If you are interested in helping achieve this goal by adding to our historic collection of documents, publications, personal papers, photographs, audio recordings, and moving image media, please contact JT Buzanga, Collections Manager, at 401-849-3990 ext. 2225.
MUSEUM INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Interning at the Museum is an excellent opportunity for undergraduate (juniors and seniors) and graduate students to obtain comprehensive training in the fields of museum studies, collections management, archival administration, library management, educational and public program development, preservation, video production, and historical scholarship. Museum Internships are available year-round. General deadlines for submission of an application are as follows: Fall Semester internship (July 31st); Winter/Spring Semester internship (November 30th); Summer internship (March 31st).
